THE KEY TO HAPPINESS

The Mystery Diner is back where he belongs – in a village inn, with pint in hand, chatting with old friends and tucking into stellar comfort food

The Mystery Diner is back where he belongs – enjoying a pint and pub grub at Kippen's The Cross Keys

Aregular reader once took issue with my ‘unnatural predeliction’ for pub grub. Yet as such a meal generally involves a jaunt out to some lovely corner of rural Scotland, a pint and some honest-to-goodness tucker, I remain unbowed and unbending in my fondness for gastropubs of all complexions.

My latest foray into this world took me to the village of Kippen. Ten miles west of Stirling and nestled between the Gargunnock and Fintry hills, it may not be ridiculously remote, but the area does boast nicely understated, rolling countryside. And helpfully in these straitened times when we’re encouraged not to stray far from home, it is within an hour’s drive for the majority of the population.

Having been at the centre of the village since 1703, the Cross Keys claims to be the oldest continuously licenced premises in Stirlingshire, and it certainly feels joyously ancient. It is also deeply lovely, with sotto voce lighting, wood-panelled walls, exposed stone and flagstones – exactly the sort of heritage schtick that pushes my buttons.

Set out in two rooms, each with its own bar (and below, bedrooms if you overdo it), the space was recently modified to allow for social distancing yet it retains the essence of a nice country pub.

One useful aid for building ambience is the impressive house beer, which comes from Kippen’s nearby Fallen Brewery. But there’s also a hefty menu which ranges from classics like steak pie, fish ‘n chips and bangers and mash to some far more high falutin’ fare. We decided to treat ourselves and chose dishes from the pointy end of the menu, and were generally delighted with the results.

Our four starters – smoked fish chowder; pigeon with squash and artichoke risotto; beetroot with whipped goat’s cheese and candied walnut; risotto without the pigeon – elicited various sighs of pleasure, with the pigeon proving a clear winner and the chowder trailing the field.

The main courses were equally solid. A huge chunk of roast hake with wild mushrooms, apple purée and celeriac hit the spot, as did a sumptuously tender breast of guinea fowl with pear barley, roast beetroot, kale and blackberry jus. The bavette (skirt) steak was ridiculously tender and tasty, but irritatingly lacking in sauce.

The soft underbelly, so to speak, was pudding. The sticky toffee pudding was good, and the lemon and lime crème brûlée was decent, but the apple and pear granola crumble turned out to be disappointingly humdrum.

With the exception of the 10pm curfew, that was the only bum note in an evening of great chat with old friends, a post-lockdown retouching of bases consummated over lovely comfort food in a pub. Despite all the challenges of 2020, life is still good.